Top 5 Useful Windows Vista Sidebar Gadgets

Windows Sidebar is a pane on the right side of the Microsoft Windows Vista desktop where you can keep your gadgets organized. It makes great use of the space on widescreen monitors and also works smoothly on standard displays. Gadgets are mini applications with a variety of possible uses. If you don’t want to keep your gadgets docked on the Windows Sidebar, you can simply move them off, hide the sidebar, and place them anywhere on your desktop. They can connect to web services to deliver business data, weather information, news updates, traffic maps, Internet radio streams, and even slide shows of online photo albums. Windows Vista comes with an essential set of gadgets to get you started, and you can easily download more. Here are some useful gadgets handpicked just for you.

Memory Meter Gadget

The Memory Meter Windows Vista Sidebar gadget monitors everything about your system memory. It displays the total amount of memory, amount of memory remaining, and the amount and percentage of memory currently being used by Windows Vista. The Memory Meter gadget is also freely available from the Windows Live Gallery. As with some of the other gadgets mentioned in this list, just click Download to Sidebar and follow the instructions to add the gadget to your Windows Sidebar. If your memory usage is something you need (or like) to watch, the Memory Meter Vista Sidebar gadget will really come in handy.

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AnySearch

Search for just about anything from this very convenient location on your sidebar. You can search; Google, Live, Yahoo, Ask, AltaVista, Wikipedia, Dictionary, Amazon, eBay, YouTube, Weather, Software, Music, Images, Maps and News. With transparent backgrounds and a dropdown box that slides out of the way when not in use. You can even adjust the opacity of the backgrounds and open the search in a new window or a fly out window.

Youtube Video Downloader

A simple sidebar gadget to download YouTube video. Just enter the URL(The address of the page where you are watching the YouTube video and download the video in flv format. Use VLC Media Player or FLV Player to watch it.

Wireless Network Meter

Wireless Network Gadget monitors both your wireless network’s strength and security. The Wireless Network gadget is well designed and will fit well on your Sidebar with your other attractive gadgets. The Wireless Network gadget is freely available from the Windows Live Gallery. As with the other gadgets available at the Windows Live Gallery, just click Download to Sidebar and follow the instructions to add the gadget to your Windows Sidebar.

System Control

System Control is much more than your average shutdown gadget. Aside from the normal Shutdown, Restart, Lock, and StandBy (Hibernate), you can Switch User, Log Off, Task Manager, Run Window, and Command Prompt. All of those buttons can be re-ordered or disabled / enabled.